On a cold, wintry day, there's nothing more gratifying than wrapping your mittened hands around a steaming bowl of soup. Particularly if that soup's from the Philadelphia Filly, an old-fashioned quilted-metal cart that keeps things cooking on the 16th Street Mall right at Broadway. The recipes come from Sally Rock and Dale Goin, who long ago shut their restaurant of the same name in order to take their soups and gourmet cheesesteak

sandwiches on the road. Rock believes that any casserole or down-home dish can be made into a soup, and she proves it by offering such favorites as red beans and rice, chicken cordon bleu and tuna-cheese casserole in liquid form. These concoctions are so rich and flavorful, you'd swear you were eating the real thing. And flu sufferers, take note: The Filly's version of chicken noodle contains curry and cayenne, which clear out the throat, and cream, which soothes it. Hurry and eat your fill now, though, because as soon as the days get as warm as these bowls, they'll disappear until next winter -- but you can get the Filly's cheesesteaks year-round.

As fans of the unbelievably good ribs at Brothers BBQ on Leetsdale since it opened three years ago, we didn't think the British-born O'Sullivan brothers could get any better. But then they opened a second location in an old convenience store in central Denver -- a spot where they can serve cold beer alongside their hot 'cue -- and Brothers is now a real double threat. The dry-rubbed, slow-smoked, St. Louis-cut ribs are so tasty, so tender, we could eat a rack plain, but we also love the peppery, vinegary Memphis-style sauce and the sweet, smoky Kansas City-style sauce. Dem bones, dem bones.

As fans of the unbelievably good ribs at Brothers BBQ on Leetsdale since it opened three years ago, we didn't think the British-born O'Sullivan brothers could get any better. But then they opened a second location in an old convenience store in central Denver -- a spot where they can serve cold beer alongside their hot 'cue -- and Brothers is now a real double threat. The dry-rubbed, slow-smoked, St. Louis-cut ribs are so tasty, so tender, we could eat a rack plain, but we also love the peppery, vinegary Memphis-style sauce and the sweet, smoky Kansas City-style sauce. Dem bones, dem bones.

You'll be dazzled by the late-night look of Dazzle. Even after the funky dining room closes, the intimate, elegant lounge keeps things cooking, serving up down-home favorites with an upscale twist. Stumble in at midnight on a Friday or Saturday night, and you can still snag a dazzling bar burger: a quarter-pounder on focaccia with your choice of Stilton or smoked Gouda, along with exceptional thin-cut French fries. If your night's been a rough one, add some iron via a soothing salad of spinach with candied walnuts and blue cheese. Better to eat late than never at Dazzle. (Fair warning: On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the kitchen closes at 10 p.m., and Dazzle is closed entirely on Sundays and Mondays.)

You'll be dazzled by the late-night look of Dazzle. Even after the funky dining room closes, the intimate, elegant lounge keeps things cooking, serving up down-home favorites with an upscale twist. Stumble in at midnight on a Friday or Saturday night, and you can still snag a dazzling bar burger: a quarter-pounder on focaccia with your choice of Stilton or smoked Gouda, along with exceptional thin-cut French fries. If your night's been a rough one, add some iron via a soothing salad of spinach with candied walnuts and blue cheese. Better to eat late than never at Dazzle. (Fair warning: On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the kitchen closes at 10 p.m., and Dazzle is closed entirely on Sundays and Mondays.)

Pete's Pizza makes a righteous pie -- and that's even more impressive since all of the pizzas that come out of this kitchen are completely kosher, right down to the meat toppings. For anyone who keeps kosher but still craves America's favorite food, Pete's is a real garden of eatin'.

Pete's Pizza makes a righteous pie -- and that's even more impressive since all of the pizzas that come out of this kitchen are completely kosher, right down to the meat toppings. For anyone who keeps kosher but still craves America's favorite food, Pete's is a real garden of eatin'.

While some Japanese restaurants focus on sushi and others concentrate on cooked dishes, Domo offers the entire Japanese experience -- from the folk-art museum that depicts daily life to the Zen garden and aikido dojo to the fabulous, country-style foods. The latter includes nabemono, with many ingredients cooked together in a clay pot; yakimono, with a choice of meats or seafood in one of three sauces; and tojimono, dishes made from meats with shiitakes and seaweed, all sautéed in soy or miso broth before being steamed in an egg custard. The country-style sushi, or wankosushi, is chef/owner Gaku Homma's take on the sushi of his youth: raw seafood topped with special seasonings and served alongside little wooden bowls of rice. Domo also has an extensive sake selection; try one or two or three while sitting in the attractive dining area, which is filled with flagstone-covered tables, tree-trunk stools and delicate Japanese knickknacks.

While some Japanese restaurants focus on sushi and others concentrate on cooked dishes, Domo offers the entire Japanese experience -- from the folk-art museum that depicts daily life to the Zen garden and aikido dojo to the fabulous, country-style foods. The latter includes nabemono, with many ingredients cooked together in a clay pot; yakimono, with a choice of meats or seafood in one of three sauces; and tojimono, dishes made from meats with shiitakes and seaweed, all sautéed in soy or miso broth before being steamed in an egg custard. The country-style sushi, or wankosushi, is chef/owner Gaku Homma's take on the sushi of his youth: raw seafood topped with special seasonings and served alongside little wooden bowls of rice. Domo also has an extensive sake selection; try one or two or three while sitting in the attractive dining area, which is filled with flagstone-covered tables, tree-trunk stools and delicate Japanese knickknacks.

It's easy to have Thai restaurant ties in a town with so many good Asian eateries. One might have a superb pad Thai, another ambitious curries. But Thai Bistro has something that none of Denver's other Thai restaurants do: chef/owner Noi Phromthong. His cooking is all about the Thai philosophy of balance: sweet coconut milk, spicy chiles, sour limes, bitter herbs, all combined in ways that make the tongue sit up and take notice. And he doesn't curry favor just with his rich, complex concoctions; his modest strip-mall spot is always warm and welcoming.

It's easy to have Thai restaurant ties in a town with so many good Asian eateries. One might have a superb pad Thai, another ambitious curries. But Thai Bistro has something that none of Denver's other Thai restaurants do: chef/owner Noi Phromthong. His cooking is all about the Thai philosophy of balance: sweet coconut milk, spicy chiles, sour limes, bitter herbs, all combined in ways that make the tongue sit up and take notice. And he doesn't curry favor just with his rich, complex concoctions; his modest strip-mall spot is always warm and welcoming.

If you love Lucy, you'll love the chocolates that the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory turns out in her honor. The brainchild of Lucille Ball's children, Lucie and Desi Arnaz, Lucy's Chocolate Factory was inspired by that all-time favorite I Love Lucy episode in which Lucy and Ethel try to keep up with a speeding conveyor belt covered with chocolate. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, the exclusive manufacturer and distributor for the sweet treats, which includes lollipops, too, rolled out the Lucy line nationwide last Mother's Day; a section of its Web site is devoted to Lucy, where both edible and inedible memorabilia are offered for sale.

Best Soups: Philadelphia Filly

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